diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 77300a6eb1b..bde5150adf4 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -77,3 +77,18 @@ launch.json
 !/plugins/Demo/
 !/plugins/AuditLog/
 enabletests
+
+## Ignore any hidden folder/files (except explicitly defined)
+## such as various IDE folders .idea .netbeans .vscode
+## or development environment things like .vagrant etc
+.*
+!.htaccess
+!.scrutinizer.yml
+!.bowerrc
+!.gitignore
+!.gitattributes
+
+## ignore Vagrantfile
+Vagrantfile
+
+
diff --git a/.vscode/settings.json b/.vscode/settings.json
deleted file mode 100644
index 20af2f68a65..00000000000
--- a/.vscode/settings.json
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-// Place your settings in this file to overwrite default and user settings.
-{
-}
\ No newline at end of file